The present invention relates to magnets which are suitable for use in magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and more particular, to an open magnet which has a wide opening and generates a uniform magnetic field.
Since a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus (which will be referred to as the MRI apparatus, hereinafter) utilizes a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon caused when an electromagnetic wave is irradiated on an object to be inspected placed in a uniform static magnetic field space to obtain an image indicative of its chemical property, the MRI apparatus is used especially in medical fields.
Because the MRI apparatus includes, as its main components, a means for applying a uniform static magnetic field in an imaging volume, an RF coil system for irradiating and receiving an electromagnetic wave, and a means for applying a gradient magnetic field to give position information about a resonance phenomenon.
An MRI apparatus is roughly divided into two types, that is, a horizontal magnetic field type wherein an imaging volume is provided in an interior space of a group of coils made in the form of a coaxial multilayer, and a vertical magnetic field type (open type) wherein a group of coils is provided so as to receive an imaging volume therein and to be opposed thereto. The latter is predominantly used nowadays because it can lighten mental burden to a person to be inspected due to its open structure and can remarkably improve inspector""s access ability to a patient to be inspected.
FIG. 2 shows, in cross sectional view, an example of an arrangement of an open MRI apparatus. The apparatus includes, as its main components, magnetic poles 1a and 1b for applying a uniform magnetic field to an imaging volume 10, superconducting coils 5a and 5b, cryostats 6a and 6b, gradient magnetic field coils 7a and 7b for providing position information of a resonance phenomenon, RF coil systems 8a and 8b for irradiating and receiving electromagnetic wave, and uniformity adjusters 9a and 9b for adjusting the uniformity of a magnetic field in an imaging volume, these components being disposed to surround the imaging volume (measuring space) 10 and to be opposed thereto.
The MRI apparatus is being made higher in magnetic field, since an increase in the intensity of static magnetic field enables increase of the intensity of a resonance signal, reduction of an imaging time and a higher level of imaging function. In an open magnet, shift is being made from a conventional type using a permanent magnet to a type using superconducting coils and ferromagnetic material (magnetic poles).
In the MRI apparatus, an magnetic field is required to have a uniformity of 10 ppm or less in a predetermined imaging volume. As prior art methods for generating a uniform magnetic field in a magnet for use in an open MRI apparatus having magnetic poles, there exist techniques wherein ring-shaped magnetic materials or magnets or contour-formed magnetic materials are positioned in magnetic pole portions arranged in an opposed manner across an imaging volume to control a flow of magnetic flux between opposing magnetic poles.
In these techniques of generating a uniform static magnetic field, since magnetic poles are formed or arranged to be symmetric with respect to an axis as its major means for generating a uniform magnetic field, a uniform magnetic field is generated by canceling each other or compensating for magnetic fields of inhomogeneous field components distributed axi-symmetrically. In such a system that the presence of an inhomogeneous magnetic field distributed non-axi-symmetrically cannot be ignored, it is difficult to compensate for it. Accordingly in these methods, a separate means or device for compensating for the non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field is required. As a conventional method for correcting such a non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field, there exists a technique wherein a region having a discrete iron piece positioned between an imaging volume and surfaces of magnetic poles is secured, and an iron for correcting non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field is provided in the region. In this method, however, the region for provision of the magnetic-field correcting iron is required, but is limited in its iron positioning from restrictions demanded by the openness of the magnet and system. In a magnet having non-axi-symmetric passive or active magnetic shield and flux returning means, the magnet has a large non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field. Thus this method has a limit in correcting the non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field and it is impossible to obtain a predetermined field uniformity demanded by the MRI apparatus.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a magnet including a plurality of magnetic-field generating means arranged as nearly opposed to each other and an imaging volume defined by the opposing magnetic-field generating means, wherein the magnetic-field generating means include magnetic poles and coils, a surface of the magnetic pole includes grooves or projections arranged nearly concentrically and formed continuous in a circumferential direction of the magnetic pole surfaces and also includes grooves or projections arranged nearly concentrically and discontinuous in the circumferential direction of the magnetic pole surface.
In the MRI apparatus, a highly uniform static magnetic field in the imaging volume is required. A magnetic field distribution in the imaging volume is determined by a superposition of magnetic fields generated by arrangement of a current, a permanent magnet and all magnetic sources including a magnetic dipole moment in the space. In order to obtain a uniform magnetic field as a magnet for use in the MRI apparatus, it is necessary to arrange the magnetic sources in such a manner as to eventually cancel an inhomogeneous magnetic field generated by the respective magnetic sources. The magnetic sources arranged axi-symmetrically will generate an axi-symmetric magnetic field, and the magnetic sources arranged non-axi-symmetrically will generate a mainly non-axi-symmetric magnetic field. Accordingly compensation of an axi-symmetric magnetic field inhomogenity is carried out by combining with the axi-symmetric arrangement of the magnetic sources mainly; whereas, compensation of a non-axi-symmetric magnetic field inhomogenity is carried out by combining the magnetic sources arranged non-axi-symmetrically.
In the present invention, generation of a uniform magnetic field is realized by arranging a magnetic dipole moment as one of the magnetic sources in a three-dimensional manner, that is, by providing a three-dimensional shape to the magnetic pole surface. Since the coil as the major magnetic source has a ring shape, magnetic dipole moment for compensating for an inhomogeneous magnetic field generated by the coil is arranged in an almost ring-shaped form, whereas non-axi-symmetric arrangement of magnetic dipole moment is necessary to compensate for non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic fields caused by an asymmetric magnet structure, that is, an asymmetrically arranged return yoke and passive or active shield. Accordingly the magnetic pole has grooves or projections arranged nearly concentrically and continuous in the circumferential direction and discontinuous grooves or projections in the circumferential direction.
That is, in a magnet including magnetic poles and coils arranged in an opposed manner across an imaging volume for generating a static magnetic field for an MRI apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the magnetic pole facing the imaging volume is arranged to have a non-axi-symmetric shape. As the shape of the above non-axi-symmetric magnetic pole surface, the magnetic pole surface has a projected and recessed surface corresponding to a superposition of ring-shaped recesses and projections arranged axi-symmetrically for compensating for the axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field and discontinuous, discrete recesses and projections for compensating for the non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field.
The magnetic pole shape is determined as follows. A magnetic field distribution in the imaging volume can be expanded by a mathematical technique in an orthogonal function system and thus the magnetic field distribution is expressed in the form of a superposition of featured magnetic field components corresponding to the orthogonal function system. In order to a uniform magnetic field, in the imaging volume, the expanded magnetic field components other than the constant term of the expansion are set to zero or made small to such an extent that satisfies a demanded predetermined magnetic field uniformity. Arrangement of magnetic dipole moment for effectively compensating for the respective expanded components of the magnetic field can be mathematically determined, and accordingly a magnetic field uniformity in the imaging volume can be attained by determining the magnetic pole shape so as to satisfy the above arrangement.
The magnet of the present invention may have a magnetic circuit for return of magnetic flux having a yoke arranged in a space other than the imaging volume. The magnet of the present invention may have an active or passive shield for reducing a fringe magnetic field. With regard even to these magnets, in order to obtain a high field uniformity, the aforementioned arrangement of the magnetic pole surface can be applied, as in the magnet not having such a magnetic circuit for flux return or magnetic shield as mentioned above.
The magnet of the present invention may be used in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. In particular, the magnetic resonance imaging apparatus requires a high accurate field uniformity and thus the application of the present invention thereto is high in significance. As mentioned above, in accordance with the present invention, these can be provided a magnet which can compensate for both of the axi-symmetric and non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic fields and in particular, when the magnet is used in an MRI apparatus, an image suitable for medical use can be obtained.
In the magnet of the present invention, a total of the number of grooves or projections continuous or discontinuous in the circumferential direction of the magnetic pole surface and the number of coils included in the opposing magnetic-field generating means may be four or more in one side of the opposing magnetic-field generating means.
In order to obtain a uniform magnetic field, compensating magnetic sources corresponding in number to magnetic field components to be roughly canceled are required. For example, in order to obtain such a uniform magnetic field that an inhomogeneous magnetic field intensity axi-symmetric in an imaging volume of 40 cm in diameter surrounded by a plurality of groups of opposing air core coils vertically symmetrically is within xc2x110 ppm; it is necessary to arrange four or more coils in one side. Similarly, when a ring-shaped magnetic material is included as a magnetic source, a total number of magnetic sources becomes four or more in one side. In the case of the magnetic pole, grooves and projections made concentrically in and to the magnetic pole correspond to coils and ring-shaped magnetic materials, a surface magnetization current flows on the surface of the magnetic material, and a distribution magnetization current corresponding to a magnetization distribution therein is formed. Formation of ring-shaped grooves or projections in or to the magnetic pole is equivalent to the significant increase of the surface magnetization current, and equivalent to arrangement of a coil having a total current of a sum of the surface magnetization current and distribution magnetization current.
In the magnet of the present invention, grooves or projections periodically in the circumferential direction may be made in or on the magnetic pole surface.
For compensation for non-axi-symmetric components in the magnetic pole, the non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field may be resolved into such magnetic field components periodically waved in the circumferential direction while having a distribution similar to the axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field. Accordingly in order to compensate for it, with the same idea as in the compensation for the axi-symmetric components, the magnetic sources must be arranged according to periodic change in the circumferential direction. As a method for distributing the compensating magnetic source periodic in the circumferential direction, grooves or projections periodic in the circumferential direction may be formed. Since the surface magnetization current appears mutually reversely in the projection and groove, both of the projections and grooves are compensating magnetic sources having quantitatively different polarities. Axi-asymmetric compensating fields generated by axi-asymmetric magnetic sources (grooves (recesses) or projections) change periodically with the sources position in the circumferential direction (phase).
Accordingly when compensating is made for a certain axi-asymmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field component, two methods by using grooves (recesses) or projections can be selected.
The method for compensating for non-axi-symmetric components in the present invention as mentioned above is completely different from a conventional method for compensating for non-axi-symmetric components by securing a magnetic material arrangement region and adding a magnetic material therein. Upon determining the shape of the magnetic pole, we can select some optimized recess and projection combinations for correcting the axi-symmetric and non-axi-symmetric components which has a smallest weight or undulations, accordingly the magnetic pole becomes compact. With this arrangement, since the non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field is compensated for in the magnetic pole, the need for providing a space for arrangement of a magnetic material or permanent magnet for compensating for the non-axi-symmetric components except for the magnetic pole can be eliminated or remarkably reduced. Further, since the magnet in accordance with the present invention can be mace compact, another magnetic field correcting means can be arranged and with it, its field uniformity can be further increased.
In the magnet of the present invention, the grooves or projections continuous or discontinuous in the circumferential direction of said magnetic pole surface may be formed only by machining the magnetic pole surface. Since grooves and projections for compensation for magnetic field are formed only by machining, there can be provided a magnetic pole which is excellent in their dimensional and positional accuracies.
In the magnet of the present invention, when the grooves or projections discontinuous in said circumferential direction are regarded as continuously arranged nearly on concentric circles, the number of concentric circles may be four or more in one side of the opposing magnetic-field generating means. When a magnetic field distribution in the imaging volume is resolved by a mathematical technique in a suitable function system, four or more major inhomogeneous magnetic field components appear, and the compensation therefore requires the same number of linearly independent magnetic sources as the inhomogeneous magnetic field components.
In the magnet of the present invention, further, the magnetic pole may be reconstructed by dividing a magnetic pole machined concentrically into magnetic pole pieces and combining the divided magnetic pole pieces. In the magnet of the present invention, furthermore, the reconstructed magnetic pole is obtained by combining magnetic pole pieces having different shapes. Since this method involves no three-dimensional machining of the magnetic pole surface and only requires formation of ring-shaped grooves and projections by a lathe, its machining cost and machining time can be reduced to a large extent.
In the method of adjustment of magnetic field according to the present invention in addition, adjustment of a magnetic field may be carried out by using the magnet of the invention, adding a ferromagnetic material piece and/or permanent magnet piece, or removing the ferromagnetic material piece and permanent magnet piece previously mounted. The formation of grooves or projections to the magnet pole surface based on the present invention enables realization of a uniform magnetic field with sufficient reduced axi-symmetric and non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic fields. However, even simplification of the magnetic pole surface may sometimes cause failure of attainment of a predetermined field uniformity due to variations in the magnetization characteristics of the magnetic material, a magnet manufacturing error, or an external disturbance by the magnet installation environment. Even in this case, this can be corrected by providing an additional iron piece.
In the method of adjustment of magnetic field according to the present invention, all or part of the ferromagnetic material piece and/or permanent magnet piece may be arranged at a position on a side of the magnetic pole opposed to the imaging volume. This is because the ferromagnetic material piece and/or permanent magnet piece is arranged farther than the other correction regions from the imaging volume and thus a higher order of inhomogeneous magnetic field cannot reach the imaging volume.
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus or system of the present invention may use the magnet disclosed above. Since the magnet of the invention is used, there can be realized a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus or system which is high in the field uniformity of the imaging volume.
Since the magnet of the present invention includes a means for compensating axi-symmetric and non-axi-symmetric magnetic fields in the form of an integrated magnetic pole, the need for separately providing a means for compensating for the non-axi-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetic field can be eliminated or reduced to a large extent. Accordingly the magnet can be made compact. Further, since the magnet can be made compact, an additional magnetic-field compensating means can be provided with a sufficient margin and the provision thereof enables improvement of a field uniformity.